Once more, for the ones in the back: Everything you do is an act of creativity. This means everyone is a “creative type.” It’s just that some people write, or make music, and others create spreadsheets or ways of caring for others.
So get right with the reason you create — because it shapes the end product. Today’s Terrible Reason is creating to fill a hole (ICYMI you can find the other Terrible Reasons here and here).
We all have a hole. At least one hole, but usually it’s more like 10,000. We come in with these holes and they shape who we are and how we express ourselves. Not understanding the value of our holes leads to us desperately dumping relationships, food, clothes, sex, alcohol, etc., into them. Toss as much as you want in there, it won’t fill it.
Your creative efforts won’t fill the hole either. Even if you think that having a child/publishing your book/making your film/launching your business/baking the perfect cookies/creating the perfect spreadsheet will somehow fulfill you, you are setting yourself up for a big, steaming pile of disappointment.
Because nothing fills that hole. Nothing. It’s unfillable because it is your personal cave of exploration. Remember those shadow friends you should throw garden parties for? They live here. Do you know what else lives in the hole? The inspiration to create.
That’s right: creating from the hole is a wonderful, fulfilling, purposeful reason to make something. Find yourself a good tether and jump in. Walk around and figure out what’s in there. Then tell us all about it.
